Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Abstract: Correspondence with other bibliophiles, scholars, libraries, etc. relating to his research and writing on various aspects
of western and Latin American history and to his other activities, including interest in California Historical Society; MSS
of his writings; transcripts and photocopies of documents and research notes on Cortes, Bartolome de las Casas, Ebenezer Dorr,
and others; personalia; records of books bought and sold to Yale University, Huntington Library and elsewhere; clippings.

Languages Represented:
English

Information for Researchers

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts
must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft
Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which
must also be obtained by the reader.

Henry Raup Wagner was born in Philadelphia on September 27, 1862. He attended Quaker and other private schools and graduated
from Yale with an A.B. degree in 1884 and an L.L.D. in 1886. After a very brief career in law, he engaged in the mining business
in New Mexico, Colorado and other parts of the west. In 1898 he accepted a position as ore buyer for the Guggenheims and represented
the company in Mexico, Chile, London, and New York for the next twenty-three years. Early in his career he became interested
in economics, Spanish methods of extracting silver, metallurgy, and history, and collected books on these and related subjects.
Each collection became source material which he used to write a book after which he gave or sold the collection to the Yale
University Library, the Huntington Library, and other institutions. By 1921 he had completely retired from business and was
able to devote full time to the study and writing of history.
The Plains and the Rockies, probably his most important work, was published in 1920, followed by
The Spanish Southwest in 1924. Other works include
Bullion To Books (1942),
Peter Martyr and His Works (1947),
Peter Pond, Yankee Fur Trader and Explorer (1955), and
The Life and Writings of Bartolomé De Las Casas (published posthumously in 1967). His
Published Writings -bibliographies, monographs, and articles -total some 175 titles.

Wagner also served as president of the Historical Society of Southern California and trustee of the Southwest Museum, and
was an active member of the Zamorano Club and a founding member of the Friends of The Bancroft Library. The rejuvenation of
the California Historical Society in 1922 was due largely to his influence. Despite increasing blindness from about 1950,
he was able to continue his research, with the aid of his secretary Ruth Frey Axe, until his death on March 27, 1957.

Wagner's papers were given to The Bancroft Library over a number of years by Wagner, himself, with additions from his estate
in 1957. A few items were transferred from the F. P. Farquhar papers. The collection relates primarily to his book collecting
activities and to his research and writing.

The key to arrangement which follows describes the collection in greater detail.

Key to Arrangement

Boxes 1-9

Correspondence, 1912-1957. Letters from other bibliophiles, scholars, librarians, etc., together with carbon copies of his replies, relating to his research
and writing and to his other activities, especially his interest in the California Historical Society. Arranged alphabetically
by name of person or organization. Included in Box 9: a bound volume, "Correspondence On Books Sold," 1915-1938, which is
arranged chronologically. Notable correspondents appear in the Partial List of Correspondents which follows the Key to Arrangement.

carton Ctns. 1-2

Material relating to Bartolomé De Las Casas

Ctn. 1

Final draft and carbon of the manuscript of
The Life and Writings of Bartolomé De Las Casas written by H. R. Wagner with the collaboration of Helen Rand Parish

Ctn. 2

Ribbon and carbon copy of Wagner's original manuscript of
The Life and Writings of Bartolomé De Las Casas.

Typescript of unpublished MS "The Red Man's Friend," a biography of Las Casas by Wagner and Parish.

Cortés calendar - for a bibliography - to the middle of 1526. Typescript

Cortés calendar - for a bibliography - from 1526 to the end of 1534. Typescript

Cortés calendar - from January, 1535 to the end. Typescript

Residencia of Cortés and Pesquisa secreta. Primarily typed copy

Miscellaneous notes

Material relating to Ebenezer Dorr

Additional Note

Genealogy and notes re the Dorr family, manuscripts re Ebenezer Dorr and log of the ships Hope and Otter (photostatic copies
of originals in Detroit Public Library), miscellaneous notes, lists of sources, etc., used by Wagner to write
The First American Vessel in California: Monterey in 1796.

Material relating to John Jacob Astor

Additional Note

Two letters by Astor, 1822-1823, and extract from his will and codicils (photostatic copies); biographical data; information
re the Astor Library.

3 letters, 1934-1945. Written by M. R. Gillis, State Librarian. Several letters thank Wagner for sending copies of his books.
See also 3 letters, 1921-1922, written by M. J. Ferguson, State Librarian in Correspondence On Books Sold (Box 9).

16 letters, 1936-1955. Written mainly by D. R. Brower, S. T. Farquhar and A. Frugé. Letter, July 30, 1936, is a copy. Relate primarily to publication
of Wagner's book,
The Cartography of the Northwest Coast of America.

California. University. Vice-President and Provost

Letter, Jan. 26, 1945. Written by M. E. Deutsch.

California. University, Riverside. Library

5 letters, 1954-1955. Written by E. T. Coman, Librarian. Re books Wagner sold to the library.

27 letters, 1928-1944. Many letters relate to their mutual interest in cartography, Mexican history, etc. With these: Letter from Mrs. Conway, July
11, 1951 & copy of his obituary written by Wagner for the California Historical Society.

Cowan, Robert Ernest, 1862-1942

Letter, May 12, 1934. Thanking Wagner for sending him a copy of his Published Writings.

Cowan, Robert Granniss, 1895-

3 letters, 1947-1955. Concerning a reissue of his father's bibliography by the Book Club of California. With these: typed copy of foreword written
by Wagner.

20 letters, 1943-1956. Letters, 1943, written while Librarian, University of British Columbia. Letters, 1953-1956, written while Dominion Archivist
of Canada. Relate mainly to Wagner's research on Peter Pond.